I Did Not Die
by angelthree117
Summary: Buffy is dead, and her friends say a few words at her graveside. Character death, obviously. This time it sticks though. Kind of Buffy/Giles, but only if you squint and hop on one foot with your head tilted like a bird. Standard disclaimer applies.


Fifteen years after the fall of Sunnydale, when Dawn was a few months short of thirty, Willow and Xander were in their late thirties, and Giles was nearing sixty, Buffy Anne Summers, the oldest, most experienced, and loved Slayer died. She was 36 years old.

Around the world, there was grieving for the woman that had made it through dozens of apocalypses and saved the world more than anyone knew. Compared to the entirety of history, Buffy had lived nearly twice as long as any of the other girls called as Slayer could have ever hoped. Granted, she had died twice, but that seemed to have issues sticking. This time, however, there were no spells or charms or magic's that would bring her back, and Xander wouldn't be giving CPR.

At the end of a remarkably long, busy, mostly happy life, Buffy was laid to rest surrounded by her friends only three days after her death, on the side of a beautiful hill in England facing east to where it would see the sunrise each morning. Her closest and oldest of friends and family were the only ones to attend the actual burial. There was a memorial going on at the nearby Slayer/Watcher compound for those that wished to pay homage to their fallen leader.

At the graveside, Dawn Summers, Willow Rosenberg, Xander Harris, and Rupert Giles gathered to say a final farewell to their dearest friend. After all this time, things had changed with the core Scoobies. Dawn had finished with her formal, more normal schooling, and was now a teacher at the Watcher and Slayer Academy in England. She had also gotten married to a young man that was not a demon, vampire, werewolf, or other creature of the dark. In fact, he was one of the first Watcher's to be found after the old council had been wiped out. They lived in a small house a few miles from the main compound, along with their "child", one of the younger girls that had been called when Willow did her spell back in Sunnydale.

Willow was still happily with Kennedy, spending most of her time in Brazil where the couple had made a nice life for themselves, but could be back in England, or anywhere else in the world for that matter, in the blink of an eye. She had become one of the most powerful witch's in the world, and taught some of the Slayer's with an aptitude for magic.

Xander had finally moved on from Anya, but never found anyone quite up to the standards of the ex-demon. He lived and worked primarily at the main school in England, but spent a good deal of time scouting the world for new Slayers and Watchers. He had been the one to discover that the spell Willow had cast only Called potential Slayers at least 13 years old. That meant that as time went by, more and more Potentials were found and taken to the nearest training center and assigned either an experienced Slayer, preferably with a Watcher of her own, or kept in one of the dorms at a school.

Giles had rebuilt the Council from the ground up, somewhat literally, using the massive amounts of funds the Council had left behind in various bank accounts around the world. Every Slayer was now paid a modest sum of money each year to help prevent anyone like Faith, who some thought had partially turned bad because of her lack of any other way to keep herself alive. He was head of the Council, and along with Buffy and the other Scoobies, had figured out what was most important for Slayers and Watchers to know when going about their business. Giles knew, however, that he would be handing the reigns over to someone a bit younger soon. He was strongly considering Dawn, who was one of the best Watchers the new Council had.

At the grave site, Willow had used her amazing connection to the Earth to ensure that the grave area would always be kept green and flowering, even if everything else was dry and dead. Besides that, the ground had been thoroughly consecrated, and there was a netting of crosses around the coffin itself. Nothing would be getting at the last Protector of the Hellmouth. Buffy's gravestone was a beautifully carved cross with an inscription very similar to her first. It read:

_Buffy Anne Summers_

_1981-2017_

_Beloved Sister, Friend, and Teacher_

_She protected the world with her Heart and Soul._

One by one, Buffy's friends stepped up to the grave to lay flowers and say a last few words. Willow was first, Buffy's first friend in Sunnydale. She said a few quiet words, muttered a charm to keep the area protected from those that would do it harm, laid a pink rose by the foot of the cross, and stepped away. Xander was next. Though he knew it wouldn't be heard, he told a death joke, still wise cracking after all those years. With a more serious smile, he told her he loved her, and laid an orange rose with Willow's pink one.

Dawn was next. She cried, watering the grass with her tears. She told her cherished sister of the memorial going on back at the complex, and how Slayers and Watchers were holding similar memorials around the world to honor their general and friend. With a watery smile, Dawn told her sister she loved her, and added a purple rose to the small pile.

Finally, it was Giles' turn. He was Buffy's friend, confidant, partner, war advisor, and teacher. The best word anyone could possibly come up with to describe the somewhat elderly man, and the most important to anyone that would care, was Watcher. That was a bond that no one could understand if they had not experienced it themselves. He just stood there, looking at the headstone for several moments. Finally he knelt and bowed his head. Giles never was one much for religion, but he knew that Buffy had gone to some form of Heaven before, and knew without a shadow of a doubt that she was there once more. He did, however, say a small prayer to the one thing he believed in above all else, His Slayer. He prayed that she was happy, healthy, and at peace. Finally, he laid a couple of the English wildflowers that had been the Slayer's favorites since first seeing them with the other flowers. He climbed back to his feet, drew the others forward, and pulled out the paper he had been given along with instructions from her will. Opening it, he read a short poem that Buffy had found during one of those research jams throughout the years. It was apparently a Hopi Indian Prayer for the dead. In his strong, beautiful English voice, he read.

"Don't stand beside my grave and weep,

For I'm not there, I do not sleep.

I am a thousand winds that blow,

I am the diamond's glint on snow.

I am the sunlight on ripened grain,

I am the gentle autumn's rain.

When you awaken in morning's hush,

I am the swift uplifting rush,

Of quiet birds in circle flight.

I am soft stars that shine at night,

Don't stand beside my grave and cry,

I am not there. I did not die."

There were a few moments of quiet following the poem, and then everyone turned and walked back towards the car.

"So, I'm thinking Buffy would want us to go shopping right now. Anyone with me?" Dawn asked the others as they got into the car.

"That works for me. She did always prefer to get out those pesky things called feelings with either shopping, ice cream, or killing things. Who says we can't do all three?" replied Willow with a grin.

"I'll buy the ice cream! And I'm pretty sure G-man has a stash of stakes in the trunk. Shopping, dinner, and a show. Sounds like a good way to grieve for me!" Xander smiled as he climbed into the car.

"What will we do without you Buffy? Our insane friends are going to be the death of me," Giles mumbled, eyes turned to the heavens as he turned the car on and headed to the nearby mall.

In another dimension, Buffy looked through a small window to her home and laughed. "You'll survive, Giles. No offence, but I'd rather you not end up here anytime soon. Live for me, Watcher-Mine."

A/N~ Hola Everyone! So, I found the poem in some story, don't ask me which one, I don't remember. If it was yours, tell me, and I'd be happy to give you the credit for it. I had the poem sitting on my computer for a while, and a couple days ago I decided I would write a story around it. This is what came of the idea. Not sure what I think about it, but it could be worse, right?

I think the ages are a little off, and possibly the dates, but I'm too lazy to see when the final season aired.

Reviews are love!


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